Wizz Air expects disruptions to continue and has lowered its full-year capacity growth target from 20% to 18%.

The news sent shares down more than 3.5% in morning trading.

With these disruptions likely to continue into autumn and on the back of a continued rise in fuel prices in the first quarter the company took the decision to trim its full-year growth target
Jozsef Varadi

Chief executive Jozsef Varadi said: “Wizz Air has once again delivered double-digit growth in passenger numbers and revenues, while also delivering ever higher load factors and net profit of 50 million euro in the first quarter.

“This was a very solid performance given the absence of high yielding Easter traffic which fell into the end of the last financial year as well as a backdrop of significant challenges caused by European air traffic control issues

“With these disruptions likely to continue into autumn and on the back of a continued rise in fuel prices in the first quarter the company took the decision to trim its full-year growth target.”

The airline is among four which have filed legal complaints with the European Commission over the ATC strikes which they claim are breaching the “fundamental principle of freedom of movement within the EU”.

Wizz Air, British Airways owner IAG, Ryanair and easyJet have also lodged legal challenges with the commission against France after its industrial action caused tens of thousands of flights to be cancelled this year, impacting millions of passengers.

The ATC strikes are costly for airlines and hugely disruptive for passengers, especially in France, as many UK flights need to use the country’s air space or fly longer routes to avoid it.

Ryanair and easyJet have laid bare the impact of the strikes on their own businesses in recent weeks, with around 2,000 flights cancelled in June alone as a result of the action.

Ryanair has warned over job losses for more than 100 pilots and 200 cabin crew amid plans to cut its Dublin-based aircraft fleet by 20%, blaming recent pilot strikes.

Luton-based easyJet revealed last week it had taken a £25 million hit from the disruption as it was forced to pay passengers compensation.

More than 16,000 flights were delayed in the first half of 2018 due to ATC strikes, affecting more than two million passengers, according to Eurocontrol figures.